Apple Crumble Pies – EatandTweet Style

Apple Crumble Pies – EatandTweet Style

Our Eat and Tweet style Apple Crumble Pie adds a modern twist to the traditional by using a 12 hole muffin tray and some invention. It’s quite easy, although can be a little time consuming.

The result is a cupcake shaped shortbread with a apple filling which is then topped with a crumble. This impresses most people, given the professional look.

Before getting started pre-heat the oven to 180c and grease a 12 hole muffin tray with butter.

Apple Crumble Pies – EatandTweet Style

For the shortbread:

250g plain flour

75g caster sugar

175g butter, softened

Method

Making the shortbread is simple really. Just mix together the butter, flour and sugar until a dough is formed. If the mixture is crumbly then simply add a little water. Once you have a dough roll it out onto a flat, floured surface until it is around 3cm thick and find a round cutter which is slightly larger than the holes in your muffin tray. Cut out one piece of shortbread and place it into the hole. It should fit in almost like a pasty/pie shape, with a hollow middle. It’ll probably fill around half the hole, this is perfect.

Repeat until you have the shortbread mix in all 12 holes. As mentioned, there should be space in the middle of the mixture to hold your caramel, but for now you’ll need to blind bake these shortbread pasties by placing some greaseproof paper in the middle of each.

To cut the greaseproof paper you should use the same pastry cutter and simply use a sharp knife to cut out a circle of the same shape to place in the middle. Once you have done this place some baking beans on top as this will allow the shortbread to bake while keeping the shape in the middle.

Bake for around 10 minutes then remove the greaseproof paper and baking beans and then bake for another 10 minutes or until cooked in the middle.

Remove them from the muffin tin but keep that to once side. Once cooled, you should now have a shortbread pastry case which is ready to be filled with caramel.

For the apple filling:

6 green apples (peeled and chopped into very small pieces)

100g light brown sugar

1tsp cinnamon

1tsp mixed spice

1tsp vanilla

One you have prepared the tarts, mix the apple mixture together and divide it between the pastry, filling each quite well, before going onto the next step to add the crumble topping.

For the topping:

90g plain flour

40g oats

1tsp vanilla extract

60g butter

60g demerara or caster sugar

This is the last and easiest step as you simple mix the above ingredients until a crumble has formed and then place it on top of the finished apple pies. Place in the oven once more for around 25 minutes until ready. Leave to cool completely before removing from the tin.